Computer and communication technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace. Indeed, computer and communication technologies are involved in many aspects of a person's day. For example, many devices being used today by consumers have a small computer incorporated within the device. These small computers come in varying sizes and degrees of sophistication. These small computers may vary in sophistication from one microcontroller to a fully-functional complete computer system. For example, small computers may be a one-chip computer, such as a microcontroller, a one-board type of computer, such as a controller, a typical desktop computer, such as an IBM-PC compatible, etc.
Computers typically have one or more processors. The processor(s) usually are interconnected to different external inputs and outputs and function to manage the particular computer or device. For example, a processor in a thermostat may be connected to buttons used to select the temperature setting, to the furnace or air conditioner to change the temperature, and to temperature sensors to read and display the current temperature on a display.
Many appliances, devices, etc., include one or more small computers. For example, thermostats, furnaces, air conditioning systems, refrigerators, telephones, typewriters, automobiles, vending machines, and many different types of industrial equipment now typically have small computers, or processors, inside of them. Computer software runs the processors of these computers and instructs the processors to carry out certain tasks. For example, the computer software running on a thermostat may cause an air conditioner to stop running when a particular temperature is reached or may cause a heater to turn on when needed.
These types of small computers that are a part of a device, appliance, tool, etc., are often referred to as embedded systems. The term “embedded system” usually refers to computer hardware and software that is part of a larger system. Embedded systems may not have typical input and output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, and/or monitor. Usually, at the heart of each embedded system is one or more processor(s).
Embedded systems may be used to control and/or monitor appliances, machines, tools, sensors, the use of certain resources such as power or water, etc. Some embedded systems cannot be easily accessed and/or cannot easily be given inputs. Users of these embedded systems may be able to have more control over the operation of appliances, machines, tools, sensors and many other devices if the embedded system were more accessible to enter inputs and/or to communicate with. In addition, more information may be available to users if embedded systems were better adapted for communications with other embedded systems or computers. For example, if users were able to communicate with an embedded system controlling a thermostat, they may access the temperature from a remote location, or they may turn down the settings from a remote location. If users could more readily communicate with an embedded system in a vending machine, as a further example, vendors of products could remotely determine when certain items must be refilled or when there was a problem with the vending machine. Thus, benefits may be realized if communications with embedded systems were enabled and/or enhanced.